If you are looking to watch something that will keep you up at night, check out our list of serial killer documentaries on YouTube. Just make sure you send your kids to the other room since you don’t want to pay for therapy sessions.
You probably know that a serial killer is a person that has committed two or more murders, during a longer period of time, at separate locations. Such killings during the war circumstances are not part of the serial killings and are regarded as war crimes. The motivations of serial killers vary. They can decide to go on a killing spree due to childhood trauma, rejection, and hate. But most people turn to serial killing due to the sense of power and control that killing gives them.
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According to Radford University/FGCU Serial Killer Database, the thrill, lust, and power are most common motives of serial killers, being expressed by 36.86% of all serial killers in the world and 31.76% of serial killers in the United States. When it comes to the United States, the country has the highest number of serial killers in history with 3,204. The number was calculated using function between numbers of actual serial killers, those reported and those caught. California is the state that has seen the largest number of serial killer victims, while 1987 was the year with most serial killers operating in the United States. Before we continue with the list, if you prefer watching documentaries in a better quality and don’t mind spending some money on that, check out our list of 15 Best Serial Killer Documentaries on Amazon Prime, Hulu, And Netflix.
In order to come up with a list of serial killer documentaries on YouTube, we took recommendations from multiple sources including Dark Documentaries. After that, we checked if they are available on YouTube in full. Those that were available were then ranked according to their IMDb rating. Let’s take a look.
7. Cropsey
IMDb Rating: 6.4
This documentary talks about the crimes of Andre Rand, a man who is a suspected serial killer. He currently serves 50 years prison sentence being found guilty of kidnapping two children. It is believed he kidnapped and killed 5 children, but the murders were never proven. Cropsey tells the story about his crimes while also taking on the urban legend of the Boogeyman. Andre Rand initially agreed to be filmed for the documentary but later declined.
6. Confessions of a Serial Killer: Jeffrey Dahmer
IMDb Rating: 6.8
The documentary contains the only TV interview with Jeffrey Dahmer, a serial killer who committed 17 murders including other crimes like necrophilia and cannibalism. The interview was recorded in 1994, shortly before Dahmer was killed by another inmate.
5. Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer
IMDb Rating: 7.0
Aileen Wuornos was a serial killer that killed 7 men in 1989 and 1990. She claimed they have tried to rape her, but still, she got sentenced to death. This documentary follows her case and documents the attempts of the filmmakers to get an interview with Wuornos. It also explores the multiple oversights in her trial.
4. Tales of the Grim Sleeper
IMDb Rating: 7.1
Tales of the Grim Sleeper that ranks 4th on our list of serial killer documentaries on YouTube explores the life and crimes of Lonnie David Franklin Jr. who committed at least 10 murders and attempted one. First 7 murders happened between 1985 and 1988, and last three happened between 2002 and 2007. All of his victims were black women.
3. This Is the Zodiac Speaking
IMDb Rating: 7.2
If you watched the movie with Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr., you are probably familiar with this entry on our list of serial killer documentaries on YouTube. Zodiac is the serial killer whose identity remains unknown and who killed 5 persons and attempted 2 additional murders. The number of his victims is believed to be higher. The documentary explores the Zodiac killings, the investigation about the serial killer and features interviews with survivors and people who participated in the original investigation.
2. Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer
IMDb Rating: 7.2
This documentary is the sequel to Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer and explores additional aspects of Wuornos’ trial focusing on her mental state and argues that she isn’t mentally sane to be executed. The documentary contains an interview with Aileen Wuornos that took place one day before her execution.
1. Fred and Rose: The West Murders
IMDb Rating: 8.1
For the last entry on our list of serial killer documentaries on YouTube, we will move from the United States and head to the United Kingdom. This 3 part documentary miniseries revolves around the life and crimes of Fred and Rose West, serial killers who killed 9 young girls together, with the murders happening from 1967 to 1987. The final number of their victims may be even higher, in addition to Fred committing 3 murders alone and Rose killing Fred’s stepdaughter. The pair was caught in 1994. Fred West committed suicide at the start of 1995, while Rose West was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
